Two-cycle single sleeve-valve engine



Spt. 22, 1936. a KAHN I 2,055,352

TWO-CYCLE SINGLE SLEEVE VA LVE ENGI NE Filed Jan. 29, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Bmy'amin Kahn ATTORNEY Sept. 22, 1936. B KAHN 2,055,352

' TWO-CYCLE SINGLE SLEEVE VALVE ENGINE Filed Jan. 29, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 iNVENTOR Bely'anu'n [fa/u BY ATTbRNEY Sept. 22, 1936. B. KAHN 2,055,352

I TWOC YCLE'SINGLE SLEEVE VALVE ENGINE Filed Ja'n. 29, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Benjamin Kahn BY ATT'ORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1936 omrso srnrss earner GFFILCE' TWO-CYCLE SINGLE SLEEVE -VALVE EN GINE Benjamin. Kahn, New York, N. Y'. Application January 29, 1934, Serial No. 708,819 32 Claims. (01%. 123-6-5)i This invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines, particularly straightthru scavenging of the. two-stroke type, and more particularly to engines employing single sleeve valves. a

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide in an engine of this character for the removal of sleeve or piston with the removal of a minimum number of other parts Another object is toprovide such an engine with a minimum height dimension.

' Another further object is to provide a single sleeve engine having over-compensatedport timing. A. still further object is to provide an engine having the above objects incorporated and further to permit the accomplishment of fluid pumping. without undue complication of parts.

Still another important object is to provide a radial engine oi the character described having features accomplishing all of the above mentioned objects effectively incorporated therein 5 Other objects are. to improve the operation and utility of high output engines, having other desirable features as will become apparent. hereinafter. I i Broadly stated the invention consists in the provision of. a. single sleeve-valve engine, the operating means for the sleeves being connected to the sleeves outside the crankcase by any suitable operating connection. These sleeves are preferably provided with extensions outside the crankcase for connectionwith the operating means.

This connection permitsthe sleeves to be removed outwardly and away from the crankshaft, by removing the head, or the head and. cylinder only. In. all previous sleeve engines where the sleevesare driven trom their end adjacent the crankshaft, and within the crankcase, the connecting, projection on these sleevesprevents their outward removal and requires the removal of the crankshaft, and practically dismantling of the entire engine. l

The connecting projection ot a sleeve in the present invention; is further adapted to be located withinthe' minimum sleeve length; thereby requiringno" additional: operating space, and consequently-a minimum height engine may be main- 5 tained. In all previous sleeve engines, the con- A necti'ng projection being adjacent the crankshaft, requires some additional space between the cylinder bottom and the sleeve bottom, to permit the connecting projection and its associated parts, to clear in their operation, whereas in the present invention the sleeve bottom may encroach well within the clearance space of the crank throw.

: It is Well known that the expansion of the fiuid charge in entering the highly heated engine reduces the quantityofthe charge and consequently 5 reduces. the maximum efiiciency of] the engine.

It is" further well known that a heated engine .grows' in length and naturally, any ports in the cylinder, growindistance, further from the crankshaftthan" when the engine is running l cool. A sleeve in such a cylinder having its operating connection at the bottom, would also extend its ports in the same direction as the ports in the sleeve and produce no appreciable change in port timing when the engine is hot. A sleeve 1? having its operating connection at the top, however, as in the present invention, would cause its port to grow toward the crankshaft and in a direction opposite to the directional growth of the port in the cylinder, so that the earlier opening and later closing of the ports is thus eff'ected. This effect permits a greater'period of inlet and exhaust to'the fresh and burned charges respectively, to compensatefor the rise irrtemperature and the accompanying reduction in time of port opening at higher speeds. This is gen-* erally known as over compensating port timing,

and is important aeroplane engines, or other high output engines;

Conversely totl're'prior mentionedeifect oi the growingof cylinder and sleeve in opposite di rections to each other, the subsequent idling of the engine of the present invention, causes the sleeves and cylindersto coo Consequently the cylinder and sleeveshrink toward and away from 3 the crankshaft respectively, to a point where the ports remain open a shorter period.

This over-compensating arrangement permits the design of ports for'good idling without sacrificing port efiiciency at higher speeds.

It is particularly desirable to provide radial engines wherein-the accessibility and disassembly of the sleeves individually in order to reach the piston can be accomplished without removing the propeller; the nose, thefron't crankcase section,

- the reduction gearing and the crankshaft.

Ihese and other analogous improved features are accomplishedby'the novel construction, com- 'bination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described as well as il-lustrated in the accompany- 5 ing drawings, constituting a material: component of this. disclosure; and inwhlchz V Figure 1. is av longitudinal cross section of a radial two-cycle. engine incorporating the invent c charge Figure 2 is a front elevation of the engine shown in Fig. 1, with the nose portion seen in section to disclose the mechanism for driving the sleeves.

' Figure 3 is a fragmentary exploded view of one cylinder of the. engine, with the parts shown in disassembled relationship.

Figure 8 is a fragment of a modified form of the invention. v V

The reference character l represents the crankshaft of a two-stroke cycle radial engine,

adapted to be supported in a crankcase ll. Se-

cured to the crankcase are a plurality of cylinders ,IZ having inlet ports l3 near the inner end surrounded by inlet manifolds l4, and exhaust ports I8 at theouterends of the cylinders. A super- I is adapted to supply fluid to the inlet manifold. Secured to the outer ends of the cylinders are cylinder heads it, which heads are adapted to be extended inwardly into the cylinders and adapted to provide sliding space for the outer ends of sleeves [1, between these heads and the cylinders. V V

The sleeve H in each of the cylinders is provided with inlet ports I3a adapted to cooperate with the inlet ports I3, of the cylinder. Exhaust port s 18a are also provided in the sleeve which are adapted to cooperate with the ports l8. The sleeve is provided with a projection H] at its outer end adapted to connect with operating means for the sleeve.

- A nose section 25 is secured to the front of the crankcase II and provides a housing for the sleeve driving mechanism. This mechanism comprises a disc Zii secured to the crankshaft l0 and is provided with an eccentric groove 21. A plurality of sliding shoes 28, one for each sleeve of the engine, is adapted to slide in the groove 21 as the disc is rotated, Adapted to slide'in the housing 25 and pivotally connected to each shoe 28, is a driving rod 29. This rod is adapted to be suitably. connected to the projection 19, of the sleeve .IT, at its outer end.

A piston 35is adapted to beoperated in the sleeve I1, and is further adapted to assist in the controlof the inlet ports during its operation. .The pistons 35 are connected to the crank throw 7 36 of the crankshaft by the usual master connecting rod 31 and the associated articulated rods 38. By this construction it is apparent that the sleeve may be removed outwardly thru the head endof the cylinder; by removal of the head only.

' without removingor affecting the adjacent cylinders; sleeve drives "and cranktrain, as clearly shownin Fig. 3.. a

This construction permits the provision of an engine. of minimum diameter or height, as will be seen with reference to Fig. 7. The dimension R, represents the radius of the clearance path required by the crank throw. The'sleeve I la is shown inits innermost position in dot and dash -li'nes and the-lower end of this sleeve is shown as encroaching considerably in'the clearance circle of the radius R; "The sleeves I! and [1a are capable o f'moving completely within the cylinder and outside of the clearance space circle of the combination of a crankcase, a

crank throw since there is no drive connecting projection at this end of the cylinder.

Referring to Fig. 3. In the event it is desired to remove the piston, the removal of the cylinder as well as the sleeve is necessary. This can be easily accomplished by removing the nuts or other securing means of the individual cylinder to expose said piston completely. It will be particularly noted that the crankshaft and its associated drives and connections are not dismantled. This arrangement distinctly avoids the necessity of removing the entire engine from its mountings, or substantially dismantling it, as would be the case in sleeve engines where the sleeves are operated from their bottoms and necessarily removed inwardly and toward the chankshaft.

Figs. 4 and 5 show the relative growth and disposition of the ports when the engine is cool and hot, respectively. The reference letters L5 and L5 represent the distance from a common index line A-A which may be the centerline of the crankshaft. The letter G represents the advance of earlier opening and later closing of the exhaust ports to produce over-compensating port timing.

Figs. 6 and 6a are typical diagrams of port timing of a reciprocating two-cycle single sleeve valve engine shown in the drawings.

Fig. 7 shows the invention as applied to a twocycle single sleeve valve in-line engine. The

parts bearing similar reference characters are similar to those previously described.

The sleeve drive consists of a crank throw 50 formed on' the crankshaft ID and adapted to operate a orosshead 5| by a connecting rod 52; therebetween. Secured to the crosshead 5! as by means of a bolt 53, is a member 54, having an extension 55 which is connected at its outer end to the projection IQ of the sleeve l'la. Integrally formed with the member adapted to reciprocate in formed with the cylinder block 58. The disc 56 may be adapted to pump air on one side and a fuel mixture on the other to the respective inlet chambers 59 and 60, through suitable conduits 56a and 561).

In Fig. 8 the projection IQ of the sleeve is substantially midway thereof but outside the crankcase. The sleeve may be removed outwardly by removing the cylinder and head.

The foregoing disclosure is to be regarded as descriptive and illustrative only, and not as restrictive or limitative of'the invention, of which obviously an embodiment may be constructed including various modifications without departingv from the general scope therein indicated and denoted in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimedas new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. In an internal combustion engine the com bination of a crankcase, a crankshaft in the crankcase, a cylinder secured to the crankcase having inlet ports at the bottom and'exhaust ports at the top thereof, a piston, a head secured to the cylinder, and a reciprocating sleeve in the cylinder having intake and exhaust ports therein adapted to register with the ports in the cylinder, said sleeve adapted to circumscribe the head and the entire piston at all times during its operation, said sleeve being operatively connected to the crankshaft at its end remote of the crankshaft.

2. In a radial internal combustion engine the crankshaft in the crankcase, a plurality of cylinders radially disposed around and secured to the crankcase, each 54 is a disc piston 56. a housing 51 integrally cylinderhaving intakeand exhaust ports, a sleeve having intake and exhaust ports respectively registrable with the ports in the cylinder, and means for operating the sleeve extending outside the crankcase and connected'atits outer end tothe sleeve.

3*. In a radial internal combustion engine the combination of a crankcase, a crankshaft in the crankcase, a plurality of cylinders radially disposed around and secured to the crankcase; each cylinderhaving intake and exhaust ports, a sleeve having intake and exhaust ports: respectively registrable with the ports inthe cylinder, and means for operating the sleeve extending outside: the crank-case and connected at. its. outer endto the sleeve at the end of the sleeve farthest'from the crankshaft.

4. An internal combustion. engine having a crankcase, a crankshaft, a cylinder on the crankcase, intake ports in the. cylinder, a sleeve operating the cylinder and having ports adapted to register with said. ports in the cylinder, a piston in the sleeve adapted to establish communication between. the ports in the cylinder and the inte rior of the sleeve when the piston is operated'and an operating connection on the sleeve radially outward. of sleeve ports fromthe crankshaft, said sleeve ports being radially mitwardv of the cylinder ports during the closed position thereof, said; sleeve ports being adapted to move toward the cylinder ports when the sleeve is expanded under the influence of heat, thereby eiiecting an earlier opening of the ports when the sleeve is expanded than when the sleeve is. net expanded.

a In a two-stroke cycle internal combustion engine having a. crankshaft, a sleeve, ports in the sleeve, and a sleeve driving connection on-the outer end of the sleeve whereby the ports are advanced toward the crankshaft when. the. sleeve is heated.

d. in an internal combustion engine the combination of a crankcase, a crankshaft therein, a cylinder on. the crankcase adapted to thermally expand ina direction away from the crankshaft, a sleeve in the cylinder, operating. means for the sleeve securedto the crankshaft andthe outer end of the sleeve wherebythe sleeve may thermally expand in a direction toward the crankshaft, and cooperating ports in the sleeve, and in the cylinder adapted to extend. toward and away from each otherduring expansion andcontraction of the port containing members,

7. In an internal combustion'engine the combination of a crankcase, a crankshaft therein, a cylinder on the crankcase adapted to expand away from the crankshaft, a sleeve-in the cylinder adapted to expand toward the crankshaft, an inlet port in the cylinder, and aninlet port in the sleeve adapted to cooperate with the inlet. port in cylinder.

8.. In a two-stroke cycle sleeve valve engine having a cylinder, a crankshaft, reciprocating sleeve valve: means asssociatedwiththe engine cylinder, and sleeve valve actuating means including an eccentric means directly on the crankshaft and connected to the outer end of. the sleeve.

9. In a sleeve valve engine having acylinder, a crankshaft,reciprocating sleeve valve means associated with the engine cylinder, and sleeve valve actuating means secured to the outer end of the sleeve, said means including an cccentrically grooved disc on the crankshaft.

10. In a sleeve valve engine having a crankshaft, a plurality of cylinders disposed radially about the crankshaft, sleeve valve means associated with each cylinder, and sleeve valve actuatiiig means, including an eccentric meansaon the crankshaft operatively connected to all sleeves at the outer ends of the-sleeves.

II. In an internal combustion engine having a crank; case, a. cylinder thereon, a crankshaft the crankcase, a sleeve valve in thecylinder', a piston in the sleeve, intake ports in the sleeve andintakeports inthe bottom of thecylinder, said port's adapted to cooperatelduulng tlre operation of the sleeve,a. crank pincnthe crankshaft, for operating the piston, sleeve dperatingmeans on. the crank shaft in phased relation to the crank pin for opening and closingsaid ports, andmeans between. the. sleeve andsleeve operating means,

whereby the instant of opening of the ports is advanced. and the. instant-of closing is retarded with respect to the crank pin angle, in direct proportion to the temperature: or: the sleeve.

12. An. internal combustion engine having a crankshaft, a cylinder, ports in the bottom of. the cylindena sleeve operating: in the. cylinder, ports in' the sleeve cooperating; with: said first mentioned ports in. open. relationship fora predetermined period. of the engine cycle, andmeans opi erably'associated with the crankshaft for increasing said period in direct proportion to the temperature of the sleeve;

13.. In an internal combustion engine, acrankshaft, a cylinder, intake ports in the bottom of a the cylinder, and a'heat responsive port registering. sleeve in said cylinder operatively connected to thecrankshaft whereby the open period of said ports in the cylinder is increased when the engine is. heated.

14. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder with intake ports: at the bottom thereof, a reciprocatory sleeve in the cylinder having ports registrable withth'e ports in, the cylinder, and

sleeve operating means connected to the outer.

end. of the sleeve.

15. Inaninternal'combustion engine, acrankshaft, a cylinder with intake ports at the bottom thereof, a. reciprocatory sleeve in the cylinder having: ports registrable the ports in the.

cylinder and means whereby the sleeve expands toward the: crankshaft when the sleeve is heated. 16. In arr internal combustion engine having a crankshaft, a cylinder with intake ports at the bottom, a reciprocatory sleeve in the cylinder having portsrcgistrab'l'e with the portsin the cylinder, eccentric means on the crankshaft for actuating the sleeve, and reciprocating connecting means between the sleeve and the eccentric means disposed in. a plane common to the crankshaft and the cylinder.

In an internal combustion. engine, a crankshaft, acylinder with intake ports at the bottom, arecipro-catory-sleeve-in the cylinder having ports registrable with the ports in the cylinder, m-eansl on the crankshaft. for actuating the sleeve, reciprocating connecting means between the sleeve and the actuating means, a pump cylinder communicating with the intake: ports, anda fluid pumping piston in the pump cylinder secured to i the reciprocating connecting means.

18. In a two-cycle internal combustion engine including a working cylinder having intake and exhaust ports, a. reciprocatory sleeve in theworking cylinder having intake and exhaust ports reg-.

istrablewith the respective ports in: the cylinder,

. a pump cylinder having communication with the "interior of. the sleeve through the intake ports; a

fluid pumping piston in the pump cylinder, and common actuating mechanism for the sleeve and the fluid/pumping piston, said pumping piston disposed betweenthe sleeve and the sleeve actuating mechanism.

19. In an internal combustion engine, a crankshaft, a cylinder with intake ports at the bottom, a sleeve reciprocatory in the cylinder and having ports registrable with the ports in the cylinder, means on the crankshaft for actuating the sleeve, reciprocating connecting means between theisleeve and the actuating means, a pump cylinder communicating with the intake ports, and a fluid pumping piston in the pump cylinder secured to the reciprocating connecting means,

'said c'rankshaft, cylinder, reciprocating connecting means and pump cylinder disposed in a common plane.

20. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinderwith' intake and exhaust ports therein, said ports being respectively at the'bottom and top of the cylinder, a single sleeve adapted to operate in said cylinder and having ports adapted to cooperate with the ports in the cylinder, and operating means for said sleeve connected to the outer end of the sleeve, whereby the sleeve when heated expands axially inward and in a direction opposite to the direction of expansion of the cylinder when heated, thereby causing an earlier opening and later closing of the intake ports to 7 effect a greater valve capacity when the engine is so heated.

21. In a two-stroke cycle radial internal combustion engine, cylinders having intake ports at the inner ends thereof, sleeves with intake ports therein registrable with the intake ports in the cylinders, pistons in the sleeves cooperating with the intake ports, and operating means for the sleeves connected to the outer ends of the sleeves.

22. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having intake ports near the inner end thereof, a reciprocatory sleeve in the cylinder having ports registrable with the ports in the cylinder, a pump cylinder having communication with the intake ports in the cylinder, a'fiuid pumping piston in the pump cylinder, and common actuating means for the sleeve and fluid pumping piston.

23. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having intake ports near the inner end thereof, a'reciprocatory' sleeve in the cylinder 7 50' having ports registrable with the ports in the cylinder, a piston operable in the sleeve to control the intake'ports, a pump cylinder having communication with the intake ports in the cylinder, a fluid pumping piston in the pump cylinder, and common actuating means for the sleeve and fluid pumping piston. r r

24.In. a. straight-thru scavenging sleeve valve engine, a crankcase, a crankshaft in the crankcase, a plurality of cylinders on the crankcase and disposed radially about the crankshaft, sleeves in the cylinders, and operating means for the sleeves connected to the sleeves exterior of the crankcase. r

25. In a two-stroke cycle 'straight-thru scavenging sleeve valve engine, a crankcase, a crankshaft in the crankcase, a cylinder on the crankcase, a sleeve in the cylinder, ports in the sleeve at opposite'ends thereof, a piston in the sleeve, and operating means for the sleeve connected to the sleeve exterior of the crankcase.

26.1 In a two-stroke cycle straight-thru scavenging sleeve valve radial engine, a crankcase,

a crankshaft in the crankcase, a cylinder on the crankcase having ports near the inner end thereof, a sleeve in the cylinder having ports coopera- .tive with said cylinder ports, a piston in said engine the combination of a crankcase, a crankshaft in the crankcase, a cylinder secured to the crankcase having exhaust ports at the top and inlet ports at the bottom thereof, a head secured to the cylinder, and a reciprocating port controlling sleeve in the cylinder and havingintake and exhaust ports therein adapted to register with the ports in the cylinder, said sleeve being operatively connected to the crankshaft at its end remote from the crankshaft.

28. In a two-stroke cycle internal combustion engine the combination of a crankcase, a crankshaft in the crankcase, a cylinder secured to the crankcase and having exhaust ports at the top and inlet ports at the bottom thereof, a head secured to the cylinder, and a reciprocating port controlling sleeve in the cylinder having intake and exhaust ports therein adapted to register with the ports in the cylinder, said sleeve being haust ports at the top and inlet ports at the bottom thereof, a reciprocatory port controlling sleeve operable within said cylinder and having intake and exhaust ports adapted to register with the ports in the cylinder, and means for operating the sleeve by the crankshaft, said operating means being connected to the end of the sleeve remote of the crankshaft.

30. In a two-stroke cycle internal combustion engine the combination of a crankcase, a crankshaft therein, a stationary cylinder on the crankcase having exhaust ports at the top and inlet ports at the bottom thereof, a reciprocatory port controlling sleeve operable'within said cylinder and having ports therein adapted to register with the ports in the cylinder, and means connected to said sleeve exterior of the crankcase for operating the sleeve directly from the crankshaft.

31. In an internal combustion engine of the single-sleeve valve type the combination of a cylinder having exhaust ports at the top and intake ports at the bottom thereof, a sleeve having intake and exhaust ports at the top and bottom thereof to register with the ports in the cylinder, and means for operatively connecting the sleeve at its end remote from the crankshaft to move sleeve ports into and out of register with the cylinder ports.

32. In an internal combustion engine of the single sleeve valve type, the combination of a cylinder having a head and exhaust ports at the head end of the cylinder and intake ports at the inner end of the cylinder, a sleeve having intake and exhaust ports adapted to register with the ports in the cylinder, and means to move said sleeve ports into and out of register with the cylinder ports connected to the head end of the sleeve.

BENJAMIN KAHN. 

